Nancy was strangled first, possibly in a rage. This promise has mostly been kept, even extending to out of character interviews with WWE superstars on major news outlets. June 22 to June 24, 2007 will forever go down as the darkest weekend in the history of professional wrestling, for that was the three-day span in which former WWE and WCW World Heavyweight Champion Chris Benoit brutally murdered his wife and 7-year-old son. Details here. To complete the subscription process, please click the link in the email we just sent you. Unfortunately was it her possible to get one of the audio data to play. Tonight, WWE performers will do what they do better than anyone else in the world -- entertain you." McMahon almost apologized, but . Bob Holly continued, So I didnt call him; I just went home. David Benoit was born in the year 1993, in Canada. During a match against Sabu at the November to Remember pay-per-view in 1994, Benoit flipped his opponent in the air, but Sabu turned his head awkwardly while taking the back body drop, as seen in thisclip from the match. Many questions remain over that weekend as WWE has shrouded Mr Benoits name from all future programming. But everything changed over three days in June 2007 when, unbeknownst to the world, Benoit murdered his wife Nancy, then his seven-year-old son Daniel, before taking his own life. The last photo taken of Chris Benoit, one week before his death The Murder/Suicide The murder-suicide took place over a 3 day period - June 22-24, 2007 at Chris & Nancy's home in Fayetteville, Georgia. Based on analyses of the brains of Benoit and two former NFL players who also died by suicide, the doctors suggested that repeated concussions might have been responsible for certain negative changes in their behavior in the lead-up to their deaths. Whenever the married life of Chris Benoit is mentioned, most people immediately think back to the tragedy and lament that his entire family is dead. After reading about the death of Chris Benoit and his murders, go inside the untimely death of comedian John Candy. Steve Blackman: Secret History on The Lethal Weapon, WWEs Wrestlers Court: Shocking Tales from Behind the Curtain, Kevin Sullivan and His Unnerving Army of Darkness, Edge and Christian How They Ended Up in Wrestlers Court, Matt Cappotelli and Bobby Holly A Sad Tale of Hard Knocks, Uncovering The Secret of WWEs Money in the Bank, 12 Failed Wrestling Tag Team Remakes and Rehashes, PermanentScars: Tales of Life-Altering Wrestling Matches, Chris Benoit How We Met 3 Weeks Before the Unthinkable, Buddy Rogers The Man Who Drove a Wedge in the NWA. WWE lawyers fought vehemently for Batista to remove all mentions of Benoit from his book, but the Animal steadfastly refused, saying he loved Benoit and wouldnt erase him from [Batistas] life because of what he did. I've interviewed a couple of dozen wrestlers throughout my radio career and current podcast venture and despite Chris Benoit's morbid and unforgivable final days, this was one of the greatest birthday memories I've ever had. In 2016, Jerichos stance changed a bit during a discussion with Nancys sister Sandra, where he learned new details about his friends horrific crime spree. He teamed up with Rick Patterson to face off against Butch Moffat and Mike Hammer in his debut match back in 1985. What had driven the wrestler to such a violent act? After he said how he felt about me cause I wasnt coming up there to hang out with him or whatever, it was just small talk. Luke is an avid wrestling VHS tape and memorabilia collector. I meanthat hit me hard. I've never formally documented this story, but have shared it with dozens of friends. Lucas Wesley Snipes is a writer and comedian living in Los Angeles. However, the investigation into why the wrestlers life had come to such a grisly end was just beginning. Born on May 21, 1967, in Quebec, Canada, Christopher Michael Benoit was drawn to wrestling at a young age. We shook hands, introduced ourselves and he joked, "Boy, I feel like a ghost." As far as the former ECW Tag Team Champion is concerned, by murdering his wife and son, Benoit erased anything positive he ever did and replaced it with pure evil. Stories about Chris Benoit behind the curtain and about the events of June 2007 have drawn attention to the minds of many in the years that have since passed, and Chris has been scolded by some of his peers while remembered positively by others. This apparently includes when troll-like fans of NXT decide to heckle the performers by chanting Benoits name, which happened immediately prior to NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn. However, after the tragedy in 2007, there were some controversies regarding the induction and a recall election was made in the year that followed. Follow Me on Twitter :: http://www.twitter.com/aab777 Add Me On Facebook :: https://www.facebook.com/aab777 The death of his best friend crushed Chris Benoit. As his father later told ABC News, Benoit wanted to wrestle even as a young boy. Holly shared the following when asked by Ross what was the night like when he found out that Chris, Nancy, and Daniel were gone. June 24, 2007 a date many see as just another in existence. Another thing most of them have in common is that they try to rationalize or justify what he did as not necessarily his fault, blaming drugs, alcohol, or some combination thereof as the true killers. 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However, one story is not commonly told that is rather unsettling due to the tragedy that may have befallen a third victim. A NOTE ALL CRIME SCENE PHOTOS I HAVE DO NOT INCLUDE BODIES. There are three garage stalls. Garage side door is open," Benoit, who apparently . She graduated from Oberlin College, where she earned a double degree in American History and French. Thankfully, these are just hypothetical questions and not heartbreaking facts. Indeed, some of Benoits friends remarked that hed seemed different before he died. Perhaps the first wrestler to buck this trend was Batista, a close friend of Benoit who released his autobiography in October 2007, a mere three months after the tragedy took place. Furthermore, Chris felt they were three of the best WRESTLERS in the world. The next day, he realized what Benoithad done that led to him becoming champion, and the achievement was heavily marred, to say the least. According to West Virginia University, his brain was so severely damaged it resembled the brain of an 85-year-old Alzheimers patient.. Unfortunately was it her possible to get o. Death', What Stephen Hawking Thinks Threatens Humankind The Most, 27 Raw Images Of When Punk Ruled New York, Join The All That's Interesting Weekly Dispatch. Pin On June 25, 2007, Chris Benoit, his wife Nancy, and their 7-year-old son Daniel were found dead in their Fayetteville, Georgia, home at around 2:30 p.m. EDT. Nov 1, 2007 at 1:43pm. It is 2 time World Champion Chris Benoit. Chris brutally murdered his wife Nancy and his 7 year old son then hung himself. By and large, the wrestling business has turned its back on Benoit in the wake of his crimes, and rightfully so. Chris Benoit's House. If you or someone you know is contemplating suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or use their 24/7 Lifeline Crisis Chat. This was the main focus of Jerichos thoughts during his many news appearances, with his favorite talking points all focused on the fact Benoit was a great friend, husband, and father up until the very last moments of his life. Privacy Policy. Today, Chris Benoit is a dirty name in professional wrestling. Scientists In England May Have Solved The 'Cold Case' Of 17 People Who Were Thrown Down A Well 800 Years Ago, The True Story Of Christopher Duntsch, The Killer Surgeon Known As 'Dr. Credit: AP Photo/Lois Bernstein. Although he did apologize for saying so and acknowledge he could never forgive what Benoit did in a traditional sense, Angle was steadfast in calling him one of the top five, maybe top three wrestlers in history. Benoit's professional debut also came at Stampede Wrestling . After 10 years of ups and downs, Chris and Nancy's marriage ended in the worst way possible, when Chris violently murdered her in their Georgia home. 3) Chris Benoit's cell phone is missing. Chris Watts' house is in Frederick, Colorado. Enter Chris Benoit's name in the search bar on WWE's website, and you won't get any results. But though Benoits toxicology report caused a media frenzy, with many pointing to roid rage as a potential reason why the wrestler had killed his family and himself, experts had their doubts. According to Sandra Toffoloni, Benoit started training harder for this new championship run that WWE had promised, putting aside all thoughts about the school. Cookie Notice Chris Benoit made his WWE debut on the January 31, 2000, episode of "Monday Night Raw"alongside Eddie Guerrero,Dean Malenko, and Perry Saturn, all of whom had joined him in jumping ship from WCW. The Benoits moved into their Fayetteville, Georgia home in 2005, shortly after it was constructed. Bite My Shinny Metal Ass. Chris Benoits murder of his wife and young son and suicide shocked pro-wrestling. It has been over 12 years since the death of Chris Benoit sent shockwaves across the professional wrestling world. Holly revealed that he had plans with Chris in his last days that would have had Bob going to the Benoit house when the murders occurred. Jim Ross brought up how Bob Holly may have been one of the last guys on the WWE roster Chris Benoit spoke to. But this also meant he was largely kept away from major rivalries and storylines; it didn't help that Benoit was one of the "vanilla midgets"whom nWo co-founder KevinNash felt were too small and uncharismatic to make an impact in the wrestling business(via Grantland). He even developed business plans and merchandise designs for the school. Barry Williams/Getty ImagesA makeshift memorial at the Benoit house in Fayetteville, Georgia, shortly after Chris Benoit died after killing his family. Sports Keeda reports that Benoits messages didnt cause Guerrero any concern until he learned that Benoit hadnt shown up at the pay-per-view fight. Benoit missed the house shows leading up to the show and the event itself, leading to WWE replacing him with Johnny Nitro. I said, Well, Im gonna be up in Atlanta, so you know? He called me on his way home from the doctor, this was at like 11 oclock or 11:15 in the morning on his way home from the doctors office, and he got on me for not calling him and coming over. Bob Holly is a former professional wrestler who is best known for his long tenure in the WWE. As such, it was a shock when the world learned that Chris Benoit died by suicide at 40 years old and that hed taken Nancy and Daniel with him. If anyone should be honored, the publication suggests, its his murdered wife Nancy, who had a wrestling career of her own for 13 years. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. This shocking piece of information was revealed by Sandra Toffoloni, who is the sister-in-law of Benoit. However, some individuals were extremely close friends with Chris Benoit the man, to the extent they still can't reconcile the person he was with the way he ended his and his family's lives. Holly drew attention in 2002 when he appeared as a guest coach on a season 3 episode of Tough Enough, a reality show where hopefuls competed for a WWE contract. In Veniss words, Benoit is nothing but a coward, having committed atrocities so horrible they completely invalidate all the good done in his life. The familys daughter, Saraya Jade Bevis, was the movies main character and is working for WWE under the name Paige where she currently is a personality on the FOX television broadcast WWE Backstage. origins and history of globalization epoch; objects of affection central idea. Nitro would defeat CM Punk to win his first ECW Championship. However, a team of doctors revealed toward the end of 2007 that Benoit had suffered so many concussions that his brain was akin to that of a man in his 80s (via ABC News). The home, which had an approximate value of $900,000 in 2007, has a wood deck, patio, swimming pool, and 5,380 square feet. I think if Chris Benoit had been anything other than a professional wrestler he would still be alive, Mike Benoit said. Daniel was found in bed. Not just ones that are performed in front of an audience. For this reason, Cene believes that the Benoit that killed his family is the same Benoit that got in the ring and wrestled, and therefore, WWE, nor should its top superstars, cant support him. Theres also the issue that whenever Benoits name gets brought up, certain aspects of the media start trying to blame pro wrestling for what he did. The dog's skull went crashing into Benoit's chin at some point and this knocked the tooth out. Benoit then told Guerrero that his wife, Nancy . In the immediate wake of Chris Benoits death, practically every living wrestler to have worked with him was invited on various news and talk shows to discuss what had happened. By using this site, you agree to the legal terms set out in ourDisclaimer, Terms of Service, Privacy Policy, and Disclosure. Bob Holly won the WWF Tag Team Championship with The 1-2-3 Kid at the 1995 Royal Rumble pay-per-view and competed in the infamous Brawl for All shoot boxing tournament in 1998. We need to confirm your email address. While Helms obviously finds what Benoit did horrible, he argued that people suffering from severe mental illness cant be blamed for what they do in the same sense a cancer victim cant be blamed for having contracted the disease. After placing Bibles next to Nancy and Daniels bodies, Chris Benoit went into the familys home gym. According to Sports Keeda, Nancy claimed that Chris Benoit could get unpredictable when he lost his temper, and she worried hed hurt her or their son, Daniel. I wanted- Id like to see you. We rode together a lot; we were pretty close. The police cannot find his cell phone or the needles they say Chris used to inject himself with steroids shortly before he died. According to Pro Wrestling Stories and Sports Keeda, they implemented a no chair shots to the head rule, brought in doctors to supervise matches, and started conducting more thorough drug testing. Accounts from the weekend of the Benoit Family deaths, such as the text messages Chavo Guerrero received from Chris and Nancys phone regarding their dogs, have been told before on platforms such as Chris Jerichos Talk Is Jericho podcast and Dark Side of The Ring. To be fair, he did end his thoughts on the unforgivable note, calling that the bottom line. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. . It may feel like hyperbole to claim all of their success was based on this one series of matches, yet thats exactly what Booker T did in a 2017 interview. It was reported that as an alternative career option, Benoit started planning to open a wrestling school. In short, Chris Benoit was the last person anyone would've expected to kill his family in a violent rage. It's all part of WWE's continued refusal to promote anything that Benoit ever accomplished during his time as a professional wrestler. His friends and the WWE grew concerned after he no-showed the various events for that weekend. On June 25, 2007 three bodies were discovered at the Benoit home in Fayetteville, Georgia: Chris Benoit, his wife Nancy Benoit, and his 7-year-old son Daniel. Chris lifted weights every day. Well, thats the cleaned up version, anyway. He returned in January 1994 after sending in that Percy Pringle endorsed tape under the gimmick of a NASCAR driver named Thurman "Sparky" Plugg. Kevin Mazur/WireImage Chris Benoit's death has profoundly impacted his legacy as a professional wrestler. One of the most prolific interviews within this timeframe was Chris Jericho's, and with good reason. (Use code PWS for a nice surprise). But as long as people still remember the horrific events of June 22 to 24, 2007, it's almost a given that WWE won't even think of considering him for potential induction. ATLANTA, June 26 Chris Benoit, a professional wrestler known as the Canadian Crippler, killed his wife and 7-year-old son in their house in Fayetteville . This was a murder-suicide spree that lasted over, I believe, a three-day weekend, Dr. Julian Bailes, who works for West Virginia Universitys Health and Science Center, told ABC News. Crime scene tape blocks the entrance to the condo. . The wrestler, born in Quebec, had steadily climbed the ranks of pro wrestling over 22 years. For a crash course in how two wrestlers can make one anothers careers in 7 matches or less, look no further than the series between Booker T and Chris Benoit that took place in WCW throughout 1998. Holly was then drafted to the revived ECW brand in 2006, and another memorable "Hardcore Holly" moment occurred during an Extreme Rules match with Rob Van Dam. As a teenager, he trained at wrestling icon Stu Hart's "Dungeon" before making his professional debut in 1985 for Hart's Stampede Wrestling promotion, aged just 18 years old at that time. Luke Marcoccia is a contributing writer for Pro Wrestling Stories. (photosinhouse16@gmail.com) deviantART: More Like Chris Benoit Sig . Some fans have since attempted to look at Chris primarily for the wrestler he was, while others only see him for who he was and what he did during his final days. He legitimately laughed at loud and then my colleague interviewed him on behalf of the station where typical questions were asked for sound bites. They went to Benoits house in Fayetteville, Georgia, which he shared with Nancy and seven-year-old Daniel, and found a gruesome scene. Keep reading to find out which 8 wrestlers have said good things about Chris Benoit, along with 7 who'll never forgive what he did. I'm a passionate celebrity information blogger. Nancy wanted Chris Benoit to quit wrestling in 2007. Growing up in Edmonton in the 1970s, Chris Benoit had pro wrestling dreams at a very young age(via Maxim). And Benoit had also begun to exhibit odd behavior. Most fans are aware of the crime that has since overshadowed all of Benoit's accomplishments and sullied his reputation as a hard-nosed, yet technically gifted worker who could have a fantastic match with just about anybody. Or, discover the disturbing story of Juana Barraza, the pro-wrestler who made a habit out of murdering old ladies.